This matter is again before us on the petition of attorneys Reino Lanto and Paul Wilson, Jr., for fees in connection with their appointment to defend "Mick" Johnson and John Dorris in the circuit court of Champaign County.

On a prior appeal concerning the same subject matter (People v. Johnson (1981), 93 Ill. App.3d 848, 417 N.E.2d 1062), this court reversed the holding of the trial court and remanded the case for reassessment of fees. The supreme court granted leave to appeal, affirmed this court in that reasonable fees were to be assessed, and remanded to the trial court for that purpose. People v. Johnson (1981), 87 Ill.2d 98, 429 N.E.2d 497.

Upon remand from the supreme court, the circuit court again considered the matter without holding any further evidentiary hearing. In a lengthy memorandum opinion the circuit court dealt with a variety of factors. It accepted the number of hours stated by petitioners as having been spent in their representation of Johnson and Dorris. It then concluded that the cases were not complex; this finding appears to be based largely on the size of the files and the court's comment that the bulk of the files was comprised of discovery materials. It also noted that Johnson's case was dismissed.

The court then turned to a consideration of local conditions and found that there were a large number of competent attorneys in Champaign County ready and willing to accept criminal appointments, and held the supreme court's concern about a small group inapplicable. In connection with local conditions the court also noted that the budget prepared by the Champaign County Board reduced the appropriation for appointed counsel fees by some 40%. The court found that examination of public defenders' salaries and the fees awarded to special prosecutors was of little assistance.

The court then turned its attention to specific figures. It was of the opinion that under the supreme court's decision it could either start upward from fixed overhead costs or downward from the going rate for private counsel. The court complained that it was "left adrift without an oar." Nonetheless, it elected to start with the overhead figure. It found Lanto's overhead was $18 per hour and Wilson's was $21. It then struck a rough average of $20. It next considered hourly rates and found Lanto's to be $55 to $60, and Wilson's $75. Other evidence persuaded the court that considering the community generally, the hourly rate should be fixed at $60. Lanto, at the original hearing, testified to a total of 162 hours of which seven were in court; Wilson testified to a total of 255 hours, 35 in court.

The court then awarded Lanto the sum of $4,050 and Wilson $7,740. Simple arithmetic demonstrates that Lanto then received $25 per hour and Wilson $30 per hour. Based on their overhead figures as recited above, their fees become $7 per hour for Lanto and $9 per hour for Wilson.

We do not believe that the trial court properly interpreted the opinion of the supreme court and overlooked the formula laid down in that opinion. We therefore vacate its award.

The parties have argued strenuously that the trial court erred in not convening a further evidentiary hearing upon remand. Specifically, the petitioners complain of the court's taking judicial notice of local conditions. We believe that the argument is beside the point. The real problem is the failure of the trial court to follow the mandate of the supreme court.

• 1 While we believe that it would have been preferable for the trial court to allow argument from the parties on the matters of which it took judicial notice, particularly the local conditions, we cannot say that this notice can be elevated to the level of reversible error. All of the matters considered in addition to what had already been presented at prior hearings were items of public knowledge and particularly within the knowledge and experience of the trial judge. (Compare Welsh v. Welsh (1976), 38 Ill. App.3d 35, 347 N.E.2d 512.) The situation is unlike that in which a trial judge makes a private investigation of operative evidentiary facts as in People v. Wallenberg (1962), 24 Ill.2d 350, 181 N.E.2d 143.

The supreme court's mandate to the trial court was explicit:

"THEREFORE, it is considered by the Court that the judgment of the Circuit Court of Champaign County, BE AFFIRMED IN ALL THINGS AND STAND IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT, notwithstanding the said matter and things therein assigned for error, and this cause be remanded to the Circuit Court of Champaign County for a redetermination of the attorney fee awards in accordance with views expressed in the opinion attached to this mandate."

Thus the duty of the trial court was to apply the formula stated in the supreme court's opinion to the facts generated in the trial court's record, together with the matters of which the trial court took judicial notice, and arrive at a redetermination. This was a pure mechanical exercise and was necessary only for the reason that no power exists in a reviewing court to order an additur. Supreme Court Rule 366(a)(5) (87 Ill.2d R. 366(a)(5)) permits a remittitur, but we are aware of no authority permitting additur under the Rule, except in cases of obvious arithmetical error. In the instant case the supreme court apparently felt that local conditions were significant in its formula and these were absent in the record before it.

It is our opinion that the trial court erred in confining its redetermination to a single paragraph in the supreme court's opinion. ...

Our website includes the first part of the main text of the court's opinion.
To read the entire case, you must purchase the decision for download. With purchase,
you also receive any available docket numbers, case citations or footnotes, dissents
and concurrences that accompany the decision.
Docket numbers and/or citations allow you to research a case further or to use a case in a
legal proceeding. Footnotes (if any) include details of the court's decision. If the document contains a simple affirmation or denial without discussion,
there may not be additional text.

Buy This Entire Record For
$7.95

Download the entire decision to receive the complete text, official citation,
docket number, dissents and concurrences, and footnotes for this case.